Stylus with pressurized recording medium supply means and means for controlling the dispensing of recording medium

ABSTRACT

A recording medium dispensing device which may be used as a three-dimensional glyph producing stylus or a two-dimensional record producing stylus or pen (either nib type or stylographic type) having one or more pressurized recording medium containers and control means for individually controlling the dispensing of recording medium from the containers, and having separately controllable withdrawing means for withdrawing previously dispensed recording medium from the recording volume or surface.

United States Patent Otto John Munz Suite 602, Bldg. 1, Crystal Plaza, 2001 Jefferson Davis I-Iwy., Arlington, Va. 22202 762,1 14

Sept. 24, 1968 Dec. 14, 1971 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 562,134, Jan. 30, 1956, now Patent No. 3,405,213, dated Oct. 8, 1968. This application Sept. 24, 1968, Ser. No.

Inventor App]. No. Filed Patented STYLUS WITII PRESSURIZED RECORDING MEDIUM SUPPLY MEANS AND MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE DISPENSING OF RECORDING MEDIUM 6 Claims, 21 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl

1 1 401/47, 264/245 Int. Cl 843k 27/10 Field of Search 401/13, 107, 108, 47, 258-60, 35, 235-237, 231, 44-47,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,980,159 11/1934 Back 01/231 3,130,711 4/1964 Eckerle 401/188 X 3,228,057 1/1966 Parrish 401/190 X 3,231,923 2/1966 Gaines 401/190 3,429,642 2/1969 Underwood. 401/188 X 595,361 12/1897 Andrew 401/35 881,215 3/1908 Wurdemann 401/231 1,839,817 1/1932 Walker 401/107 1,982,345 11/1934 Kirby 401/13 X 2,506,035 5/1950 Parker 401/143 2,506,077 5/1950 Goldsmith.... 401/13 X 3,020,884 2/1962 Riepe et a1 401/259 Primary Examiner Lawrence Charles A!torney0tto John Munz ABSTRACT: A recording medium dispensing device which may be used as a three-dimensional glyph producing stylus or a two-dimensional record producing stylus or pen (either nib type or stylographic type) having one or more pressurized recording medium containers and control means for individually controlling the dispensing of recording medium from the containers, and having separately controllable withdrawing means for withdrawing previously dispensed recording medium from the recording volume or surface.

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STYLUS WITH PRESSURIZED RECORDING MEDIUM SUPPLY MEANS AND MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE DISPENSING OF RECORDING MEDIUM CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation in part of copending US. Pat. application Ser. No. 562,134, filed Jan. 30, 1956 now Pat. No. 3,405,213 issued Oct. 8,1968.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to styli, including nib pens and stylographic pens, for making two or three dimensional permanent or transient traces, such as writings, paintings, recordings, representations and similar markings, either within a volume or upon a surface. Such three-dimensional traces will hereinafter by called glyphs. Said surfaces may be planar, but are not limited thereto.

More particularly, the present invention relates to styli of the kind defined above which are adapted to contain one or more pressurized ink containers, said pressurized ink containers constituting an aspect of the present invention, and to control means for individually controlling the dispensing of ink or other recording medium from said pressurized containers or cartridges.

Further, the present invention relates particularly to styli of the kind described above which also include withdrawing means whereby said traces, whether two dimensional or three dimensional, may be with drawn from the recording surface or volume. Such a withdrawing means will hereinafter alternately be called an extractor. The present invention solves the problem, raised in my prior copending application and unanswered by the prior art, of providing pressurized ink supply means within styli of the kind described above, which supply means are capable of coacting with manually or automatically operable control means for controlling the dispensing of ink or other recording medium therefrom. The present invention also answers the problem of equipping such styli with trace withdrawing means, the provision of such trace withdrawing means being absent from the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Generally, then, the present invention provides compact, simple, and inexpensive means for forming two and three dimensional glyphs, or traces, of selectable color, and withdrawing or extracting the same from the surface or volume upon which they are formed.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a stylus containing means for dispensing recording media of several colors for the production of glyphs, diaglyphs, glyph-charts, glyph-records, glyph-plots, glyph-sketches, glyph-drawings, glyph-designs, glyph-paintings, and the like, including traces on surfaces as well as traces within volumes, which styli may be used for manual rendering of such glyphs or traces, or may be operated by servo mechanical means to produce teleglyphs, and the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide styli as described hereinabove which comprise manually or automatically operable control means for individually controlling the dispensing of ink or other recording medium from said dispensing means.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a stylus of the kind described hereinabove which, within the compass of a cylinder which may be conveniently held in the hand, contains a plurality of pressurized supply cartridges, each containing recording medium ofa different color, and, in addition, also includes manually operable control means for controlling the discharge of recording medium from said cartridges, individually, and at the same time contains at least the pickup orifice of trace extracting means.

A further object of the present invention is to provide automatically operable stylus means for use in teleglyphs and the like, which stylus means are light and compact, and therefore can be actuated to describe the contours of glyphs by cheap and simple servomechanism means.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide automatically operable teleglyphic stylus means which are capable of dispensing a plurality of recording media under the control of valves which are operable by cheap and effective means consuming little power in either digital or proportional control operations.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a nib pen containing a plurality of pressurized, rechargeable ink cartridges and having a single control member by means of which any one of said ink cartridges may be selected for the dispensing of ink, either momentarily or in graduated fashion and the width of trace may be altered by spreading the nibs.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a stylographic pen containing a plurality of pressurized ink containers and including means whereby ink may be dispensed from a selected one of said cartridges.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a stylus especially adapted for use in glyph recording in which the recording medium dispensing tip terminates in an aperture of controllably variable diameter.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious, and will in part appear hereinafter.

The present invention, accordingly, comprises the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the constructions hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view, partially broken away, of an ink dispensing cartridge for use in the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a complete ink dispensing cartridge taken on a secotion line corresponding to line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of a complete cartridge taken along a line corresponding to line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of a complete cartridge taken along a section line corresponding to line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a complete cartridge taken along a section line corresponding to line 5-5 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a side view, partially in section, of a stylus barrel assembly according to the present invention, showing the manner in which cartridge of the type of FIGS. 1 through 5 are mounted therein.

FIG. 7 is an end view of a complete stylus barrel assembly taken from the end indicated by line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 88 of FIG. 6.

FIG IS A CROSS-sectional view of a complete stylus barrel assembly taken along a line corresponding to line 99 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 10 is a side view, partially in section, of a syringe adapted for recharging the cartridge of FIGS. 1 through 5 with a recording medium.

FIG. 11 is a side view, partially in section, of the vacuum pump section of the trace extracting means of an embodiment of the present invention which also includes the stylus barrel assembly of FIG. 6.

FIG. 12 is a side view, partially in section, of the tip end of a nib pen according to the invention, illustrating the manner in which the manually operable control means is used to dispense ink from one of the cartridges.

FIG. 13 is a side view, partially in section, of the tip end of a nib pen according to the invention, illustrating the manner in which the manually operable control means is used to spread the outer leaves of the nib for greater line width.

I 12, showing the feed rate lock.

FIG. 16 is a side view, partially in section, of the tip end of a stylographic pen according to the invention.

FIG. 17 is an end view of a complete pen of the type shown in FIG. 16, taken as indicated by lines 17-17 of FIG. 16.

FIG. 18 is a side view, partially broken away, of the tip end of a glyph-producing stylus according to the invention.

FIG. 19 is a side view, partially in section, of a variable diameter tip for a glyph-producing stylus according to the invention.

FIG. 20 is a side view, partially in section, of a variable diameter tip for a glyph-producing stylus according to the invention.

FIG. 21 is a side view, partially in section, of a stylus barrel assembly for use in teleglyph recording devices, showing electrical means according to the invention for controlling the dispensing of ink from one of the cartridges.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Reference is now had to FIGS. 1 through of the drawings which show a recording medium cartridge adapted for use in styli embodying the present invention.

THe cartridge, which is generally designated by the reference numeral 10, may be seen in FIG. 1 to comprise three sections, viz, the reservoir 11, the charging valve 12, and the dispensing valve 13. As more fully explained hereinbelow, the several parts of the reservoir, the charging valve, and the dispensing valve are maintained together in cooperative relationship by means of a generally cylindrical shell 15 which may, for instance, be fabricated from brass tubing. For clarity of illustration, cartridge is shown in FIG. 1 with its center section broken away, and shell is shown in three parts. It is to be understood, however, that in a complete cartridge as used in connection with the present invention shell 15 will generally be a substantially continuous cylinder the surface of which is, in general, broken only by vent holes, a pressuregauging window, and inwardly pressed protrusions, all of which are described hereinbelow.

Referring now to the central portion of cartridge 10, it may be seen that reservoir 11 generally comprises a resilient sac which terminates at either end in unitary flange members 21 and 22. As shown in dashed lines, the central, generally cylindrical portion of sac 20 is of substantially equal cross section throughout in its undistended state, When sac 20 is fabricated said central portion is in the from shown by the dashed lines, Sac 20 may be made of rubber or some other resilient material, and if made of rubber may be vulcanized when its central portion takes the form shown in the dashed lines. In any event, the central portion of sac 20 is so constructed that its natural tendency is to collapse to the form shown in dashed lines, and when the central portion of sac 20 is distended as shown in FIG. 1, or to a greater degree, by charging it with a recording medium through charging valve 12, the recording medium will be maintained under pressure by the tendency of the sac to resume the form shown in dashed lines in FIG. 1.

A pair of rigid, substantially identical retainers 25 and 26, which may be of suitable plastic material, surround the extreme ends of the tubular portion of sac 20 as shown in FIG. 1. Retainers 25 and 26 may, for instance, each be fabricated in two halves, which halves are then cemented together, or otherwise fastened, after being so placed together as to form a generally toroidal figure enclosing the tubular portion of sac 20.

As may best be seen in FIG. 1, sac 20 and retainers 25 and 26 are maintained in place within shell 15 by inwardly pressed projections 28, 29, 30, and 31. As will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art, projections 28, 29, 30, and 31, and additional ones of such projections, are formed after the reservoir assembly comprising sac 20 and retainers 25 and 26 are emplaced within shell 15. Suitable tooling for locating the reservoir assembly within the shell (the ends of which are not yet upset) and for forming said projections will be provided by those having ordinary skill in the art without the exercise of invention.

As indicated in FIG. 1, the portion of shell 15 between said projections may be provided with one or more vent holes 34 to avoid the building up of a vacuum between shell 15 and sac 20 as sac 20 collapses upon the dispensing of portions of the recording medium via dispensing valve 13. In addition, a pressure gauging window 35 passes through shell 15 at a location approximately halfway between retainers 25 and 26. The function of window 35 is described in detail hereinafter.

As may now be seen in the upper portion of FIG 1, charging valve 12 comprises those parts located in the upper end of shell 15, above flange 21.

The active parts of charging valve 12 include disk 40, through the outer edge of which are formed a plurality of notches, or passages, 41, 41, 41", 41" (FIG. 3), a resilient seat ring 42, and resilient biasing members 45, 46, and 47. Biasing members 45, 46, and 47 permit slight movement of disk 40 within the central aperture 50 of a ring 51 (FIG. 3). Seat 42 is located within the aperture 55 of a ring 56, and maintained against motion away from disk 40 by an additional ring 57. In the course of assembly, biasing members 45, 46, and 47 may be fastened, as by cementing, to the outer side of flange 21, and disk 40 cemented to the opposite end of biasing members 45, 46, and 47. Thus, the disk and biasing members may advantageously be cemented to flange 21 before the reservoir assembly is secured within tubular shell 15. Disks 51, 56, and 57, and seat 42 may advantageously be cemented together to form a single integral member before assembly into shell 15. According to one preferred method of assembly, this integral member may also be cemented to flange 21 in such manner that no leakage can take place across the joint between ring 51 and flange 21, before the reservoir assembly is inserted into shell 15.

In addition to the valve itself, charging valve 12 also comprises a seal assembly whereby the charging tube (dashed in the upper portion of FIG. 1, see also FIG. 10) may be temporarily sealed to the input end of the charging valve, thereby avoiding recording medium leakage during charging of the reservoir with ink or other recording medium. THe sealing assembly includes a resilient seat 61 having a central aperture 62 which is aligned with the central apertures of disk 57 and seat 42. The sealing assembly also includes a resilient secondary seal 65 which itself includes an inner, reentrant skirt 66, and a rigid, generally cylindrical stiffener 67. According to a preferred embodiment the sealing assembly maybe assembled in the upper end of shell 15 as follows. After the reservoir is affixed within shell 15 by means of the above said projections, and the main valve assembly including ring 57 disposed thereupon in the manner indicated hereinabove, or otherwise, and while shell 15 is still of uniform cross section throughout its upper end, seat 61 and secondary seal 65 along with its stiffener 67 are inserted into the upper end of shell 15 The upper end of shell 15 is then upset in the well-known manner, forming flange 68, and opening 69 within flange 68, and clamping all of the parts of charging valve 12 tightly together between projections 28, 29, etc., and flange 68, and thus clamping the resilient parts of the sealing assembly to each other and to the main valve assembly in substantially fluidtight relationship.

The manner of charging cartridge 10 with ink or other recording medium via charging valve 12 will be discussed hereinbelow. It sufflces here to point out that recording medium under pressure in the reservoir strongly tends to close the charging valve against leakage by pressing upwardly on disk 40 as shown in FIG. 1, and thereby forcing disk 40 against seat 42 and closing passages 41, 41', 41"and 41". The function of resilient biasing members 45, 46, and 47, among others, is to exert sufficient pressure against disk 40 in the closing direction so as to maintain the charging valve closed (except when the cartridge is being charged) even at low reservoir pressures, when the central portion of sac 20 has assumed the form shown in dashed lines in FIG. 1.

Going now to the lower portion of FIG. 1, it may be seen that dispensing valve 13 generally includes those parts which are located within the lower end of shell 15 and below flange 22.

The active elements of dispensing valve 13 include a disk 75 having notches or passages 76, 76, 46", and 46". passing though its outer edge, a cooperating resilient sat member 77, and a stem 78, 79 which is affixed at one end to disk 75 and affixed at the other end to a relatively still diaphragm 80. A relatively rigid, disklike actuator 81 is afi'ixed to the outside of diaphragm 80 to prevent puncturing of diaphragm 80 when the assembly comprising disk 75, stem 78, 79 and diaphragm 80 is pushed inward, thereby lifting disk 75 off seat 77 and permitting the egress of recording medium from the reservoir via passages 76, 76" and thence between disk 75 and seat 77. When unactuated, disk 75 is maintained in sealing contact with seat 77 by the pressure of the recording medium in the reservoir impinging upon its outer face, and also by the force exerted by diaphragm 80 resulting from its stiffness, and thus its tendency to maintain its flat configuration as shown in FIG. 1.

As may be seen by comparison of FIGS. 1 and 4, disk 75 closely fits aperture 85 of ring 86, and is movable therewithin under control of actuator 81. Ring-shaped, resilient seat member 77 is maintained in operative position with respect to disk 75 by disks 88 and 89.

The aperture of ring-shaped seat 77 is in communication via the aperture of ring 89 with the central aperture 93 in generally ring-shaped member 94, member 94 departing from ringshape by reason of a passage 93 extending from central aperture 93 to its outer edge, as best seen in FIG. 5. As may be seen by comparison of FIGS. 1 and 5, a dispensing aperture 96 is provided in shell 15 in registration with arm 93' of aperture 93 in member 94.

Stem 78 extends through the central apertures of seat 77 (also ring 88), ring 89, and member 94, and also through the central aperture of a ring 98, ring 98 being provided at one face with a depression 99 to permit diaphragm 80 and actuator 81 to be pressed inwards of cartridge 10, thereby opening dispensing valve 13.

As may be seen in each of FIGS. 1 through 5, a paint stripe 100 or the like extends substantially throughout the length of cartridge on the side thereof remote from dispensing aperture 96. Stripe 100 is useful, as explained hereinafter, in so orienting the cartridge when inserted in a stylus barrel assembly according to the invention that the recording medium dispensed via dispensing aperture 96 enters a common dispensing chamber described hereafter.

During assembly, according to a preferred embodiment, rings 86, 88, 89, and 98, and seat 77, member 94, and diaphragm 80 are cemented or otherwise sealed together in fluidtight relationship as shown in FIG. 1. Thus, a unitary, leakproof valve body structure is provided which is easily fabricated from a plurality of simple, inexpensive parts. In addition, during assembly according to a preferred embodiment, stem 78, which is first affixed to disk 75, is inserted into said valve body assembly and sealed to the inside ofdiaphragm 80, whereafter actuator 81 is sealed to the outside of diaphragm 80, whereafter actuator 81 is sealed to the outside of diaphragm 80. The resulting complete dispensing valve assembly is inserted into the lower end ofshell as seen in FIG. 1, and the remainder of shell 15 is upset, in the well-known manner, thereby forming lip 102 and its central aperture 103 and bringing the upper face of ring 86 as seen in FIG. 1 into sealing contact with the lower edge of flange 22 of sac 20.

As will now be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art, dispensing valve 13 is so constructed, and so maintained in fluidtight contact with flange 22, that when dispensing valve 13 is unactuated the pressure of the recording medium within sac urges disk 75 downwardly upon resilient seat 77, thereby blocking passages 76, 76" and preventing the leadage of recording medium from the lower end of cartridge 10. However, when actuator 81 is pressed upward into cartridge l0 disk 75 is thereby raised from seat 77, and recording medium is thus enabled to pass from sac 20 through the aperture in ring 86 and passages 76, 76", and thence beneath disk 75 and through the central aperture in seat 77 and the central aperture in disk 89 to the central aperture 93 in member 94, whence the recording medium passes through arm 93 of opening 93 to dispensing aperture 96 in shell 15 and out through dispensing aperture 96.

Thus, as described hereinabove, cartridge 10 is capable of storing recording medium under pressure and dispensing recording medium by way of dispensing aperture 96 under control of actuator 81, and is also capable of being recharged with recording medium under pressure by means of a simple syringe via charging valve 12.

When cartridge 10," or a cartridge," or the like expression is used hereinafter, such expressions are to be understood to refer to the cartridge embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 5, and the details discussed in connection therewith will not be extensively reviewed hereinafter, though it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the particular cartridge embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 5.

Reference is now had to FIGS. 6 through 9 which disclose a stylus barrel assembly 104 embodying the present invention. While the stylus barrel assembly of FIG. 6 is shown as having a portion of its length removed for clarity of illustration, it is to be understood that a stylus barrel assembly according to the present invention, including that illustrated in FIG. 6, generally constitutes a single elongated unit.

As best seen in FIGS. 6 and 8, the main portion of the stylus barrel assembly is the barrel body 105. Barrel body 105 serves to support three cartridges 106, 107, 108 (of the type hereinabove designated by the reference numeral 10) in cooperative relationship. That is to say, cartridges 106, 107, 108 are disposed ,in corresponding close-fitting bores 110, 1 11, 112 extending substantially throughout the length of barrel body 105. In a preferred embodiment of stylus barrel assembly 104 cartridge receiving bores 110, 111, 112 are of sufficiently large diameter so that the wall between the outside edge of each of these bores and the cylindrical surface of the barrel body 105 is of minimum thickness consistent with the practically necessary strength and rigidity of barrel 104, while the wall or web between the closest points of adjacent bores is also no thicker than is necessary to impart sufficient rigidity to barrel assembly 104.

In addition to cartridge receiving bores 110, 111, 112 an additional bore 115 extends throughout the length of barrel body 105 and lies substantially along the axis of barrel body 105. The function of bore 115, hereinafter sometimes called the extractor bore, will be explained hereinafter.

As may be seen in FIG. 6, openings or windows are provided in the outer walls of bores 110, 111, 112 where are so located as to be aligned with the windows of cartridges 106, 107, 108 corresponding towindow 35 shown in FIG, 1 when cartridges 106, 107, 108 are properly positioned within their corresponding bores. Thus, the two windows 117 and 118 shown in FIG. 6 will be aligned with the corresponding windows or openings in cartridges 107 and 108, the edge of window 35 of cartridge 108 being seen through window 118 in FIG. 6, and a corresponding window in the barrel body adapted for cooperation with the window 35 of cartridge 106 being located substantially immediately behind window 118 on the opposite side of barrel body 105 as shown in FIG. 6.

Referring now to FIG. 6, it may be seen that a short, cylindrical body 120 is affixed to the lower end of barrel body 105. According to the present invention, body 120 is joined to barrel body 105 in a fluidtight manner, as by cementing, throughout their abutting surface.

Body 120 is formed of at least partially resilient material, and three bores extend through body 120 in alignment with bores 110, 111, 112 of barrel body 105, the bores in body 120 being slightly smaller in diameter than bores 110, 111, 112,

thereby assuring that when cartridges 106, 107, 108 are forced into their corresponding bores in body 120 during the assembly of barrel 104, the lower ends of these cartridges will be fluidtightly gripped by body 120. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the lower ends of cartridges 106, 107, 108 may, of course, be permanently cemented into their corresponding bores in body 120, thereby assuring a complete fluidtight seal throughout their contacting surfaces.

In addition to the bores containing the lower ends of cartridges 106, 107, 108, body 120 also contains a chamber 121 which is of generally cylindrical configuration, and coaxial with body 120, but, as shown in FIG. 6, does not extend entirely through body 120 to its lower surface. I

As may best be seen in the lower portion of FIG. 6, chamber 121 is of sufficient diameter so that its outer cylindrical wall intersects each one of the cartridge receiving bores over a small area, and thus each one of the cartridges projects slightly into chamber 121. Thus, a small portion of the outer wall of cartridge 106 can be seen in FIG. 6 to project through the outer wall of chamber 121. It follows that the lines designated by the reference numeral 122 in the lower portion of FIG. 6 are edges, or lines of intersection, which are common to chamber 121 and the bore 122 in body 120 containing the lower end of cartridge 106. The bore 123 containing the lower end of cartridge 107 may also be distinguished in the lower portion of FIG. 6. The third bore in body 120 which receives the lower end of cartridge 108 is not shown in FIG. 6 by reason of the cross section selected for purposes of illustration As may also be seen in the lower portion of FIG. 6, the cartridges are so oriented that their dispensing apertures are included in the small portion of their surfaces which project into chamber 121. That is to say, the dispensing aperture 125 ofcartridge 106 (corresponding to aperture 96 of cartridge as shown in FIG. 1) and the dispensing aperture 125 of cartridge 107 (also corresponding to aperture 96 of FIG. 1) are both directed into chamber 121 when these cartridges are properly located in barrel assembly 104. The dispensing aperture of cartridge 108 will, of course, also be directed into chamber 121.

Summarizing the above, it may now be seen that body 120 is so constructed and arranged that when cartridges 106, 107, 108 are properly installed in its cartridge receiving bores, the dispensing apertures of all three cartridges are directed into common chamber 121, and a leakproof seal is formed between each cartridge and its corresponding bore such that no fluid leakage can occur between cartridge and bore. It follows that while recording medium can be omitted into common chamber 121 through the dispensing apertures ofthe cartridges, the only egress from chamber 121 is either through extractor bore 115 or through the tip feed bore 128 the upper end of which passes through the lower wall of common chamber 121. Comparing the lower portion of FIG. 6 with FIG. 9, it may be seen that a short, cylindrical member 130,

designated herein the tip support, is affixed to the lower end of body 120, and is substantially coaxial therewith. To prevent leakage of tip feed bore 128 at the interface between body 120 and tip support 130, body 120 and tip support 130 are sealed together at their common face, though they may be joined either by this sealing means acting as a cement or 6, the may end of tip feed bore 128 in tip support 130 is enlarged in diameter and internally tip such as those shown and described hereinafter. Also, as may best be seen in FIG. 9, three bores 131, 132, 133 extend lengthwise through tip support 130 and provide access to the actuators of their corresponding cartridges, the actuators of cartridges 106, 107, and 108 being designated 134, 135, and 136, respectively.

As may best be seen in FIG. 6, the lower end of tip feed bore 128 in tip support 130 is enlarged in diameter and internally threaded to receive an externally threaded tube 138, hereinafter designated the tip feed tube. Tip feed tube 138 is shown broken ofi" at its outer end in FIG. 6 because its configuration and length will vary depending upon the tip to be employed with barrel 104, and supported upon tip support 130.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the upper end of barrel body is provided with a cap 140. Cap 140 is provided with a threaded nipple 141 having an internal bore 142. The end of bore 142 inside cap 140 is enlarged to receive one end of a resilient gasket 145 which itself has an internal bore 146. Bore 146 is aligned with and constitutes a continuation of bore 142 when gasket 145 is positioned in the enlarged inner portion of bore 142. At the upper end of extractor bore 1 15 a similar enlargement is provided to receive the lower end of gasket 145, the bore 146 of gasket 145 being substantially aligned with extractor bore 1 15 when cap 140 is secured upon the upper end of barrel body 105. Cap 140 may be secured to the upper end of barrel body 105 by means of a well-known bayonet lock arrangement including lugs such as that designated by the reference numeral 148 formed as part of or affixed to the upper end of barrel body 105 and cooperating grooves in the interior surface of the cylindrical flange portion of cap 140, this bayonet lock arrangement being resiliently loaded by gasket 145. Thus, it may be seen that when cap 140 is secured to the top end of barrel body 105 by said bayonet lock arrangement, extractor bore 115 communicates directly with inner bore 142 of nipple 141 by way of bore 146 in gasket 145. By this means it is made possible, as explained hereinafter, to connect a vacuum source to extractor bore 1 15 by way of nipple 141, and thus withdraw undesired amounts of recording medium from common chamber 121, tip feed bore 128, tip feed tube 138, and, in some cases, to withdraw or extract traces already laid down. In order to avoid the formation of a vacuum which could interfere with the feeding of recording medium, it may be desirable in some instances to provide a bleeder passage such as that designated by the reference numeral 150 in cap 140. Bleeder passage 150 may, depending upon the viscosity of the particular recording medium used in a given application and other variables, take the form of a capillary passage which is sufficiently fine so that its flow impedance is too great to permit leakage of the recording medium or interference with the vacuum extraction operation or may take the form of a larger passage including a check valve or damper valve of the types well known to those having ordinary skill in the art.

It is also to be noted in the upper portion of FIG. 6 that gasket 145 and its associated bore will preferably be sufficiently large in diameter to serve to lock cartridges 106, 107, 108 in their corresponding bores 110, 111, 112.

In addition to bore 142, three bores 152, 153, 154 (see FIG. 7) extend through cap 140. When cap 140 is locked on the end of barrel body 105 by means of the said bayonet latch arrangement, bores 152, 153, 154 are aligned with the upper ends of cartridges 106, 107, 108, thus permitting these cartridges to be charged with recording medium under pressure by means of a simple syringe of the type shown in FIG. 10, even when these cartridges are mounted in barrel assembly 104 and cap 140 is secured to the top end of barrel body 105.

Because of the construction of charging valve 12 including its sealing arrangement (FIG. 1), it is possible to charge the cartridges of the invention by means of an extremely simple squeeze bulb syringe comprising merely filler tube 60 and bulb 155, as shown in FIG. 10. If, as in the usual application of the present invention, it is desired to charge cartridges 106, 107, 108 with recording media of different colors, then it may also be found desirable to employ three different syringes, all of the simple type shown in FIG. 10.

In charging any one cartridge, filling tube 60 of a syringe may be immersed in a quantity of recording medium and bulb 155 squeezed and allowed to resume its normal form, whereafter filler tube 60 is thrust downward into the seal arrangement at the upper end of the cartridge (as shown in dashed lines in FIG. 1). Exertion of only a small amount of force tending to push filler tube 60 against seat 61 will effectively form a fluidtight seal therebetween, while any air escaping from between filler tube 60 and seat 61 will tend to increase the pressure of residual air in the space between filler tube 60 and stiffener 67, thereby tending to increase the tightness of the seal between skirt 66 and filler tube 60. Upon squeezing bulb 155 the pressure of recording medium upon the upper surface of disk 40 will be increased, thereby forcing disk 40 downward against the action of biasing members 45, 46, 47 and the action of any residual pressure in sac 20, and thus opening passageways for the immission of recording medium into sac under the lower edge of seat 42, through passages 41, 41", into the outer portion of aperture 50, around resilient biasing members 45, 46, 47, and thus into the main body portion of sac 20 via the bore through the center of flange 21.

When the walls of sac 20 are properly proportioned, and of correctly selected materials, and bulb 155 is sufficiently filled from the body of recording medium, it will be possible to raise the pressure of the recording medium with which sac 20 is charged by a preselected amount, thus causing sac 20 to expand outward. By the provision of a window like window 35 of FIG. 1 in each of the cartridges 106, 107, 108, and the provision of associated windows 117, 118, 119 (not shown in FIG. 6), the person charging a cartridge may judge when he has filled that cartridge to the proper pressure level by squeezing bulb 155 only until the sac within that cartridge can be seen to have expanded sufficiently to touch the inner wall of the cartridge shell just inside the window corresponding to window 35 of FIG. 1. This process may be facilitated by painting on the outside of the cartridge a fluorescent band having the same shape as window 35 but being so much larger than the window 35 that its inner edge is just equal to the contour of window 35. By this means the pressure in the sac can be accurately judged by squeezing bulb 155 until the fluorescent band has just "disappeared. From the above, then, it may be seen how the use of cartridge charging means having an elaborate regulator is obviated by the construction of the cartridge of the invention.

If, at the end of the filling process, any considerable quantity of recording medium escapes between seat 61 and filling tube 60, it may be seen by examination of the upper portion of FIG. 1 that the presence of this pressurized fluid between filling tube 60 and stiffener 67 merely serves to press skirt 66 more firmly in contact with filling tube 60, thereby preventing leakage ofthe recording medium.

When any one cartridge has been fully charged, slightly releasing bulb 155 will reduce the pressure immediately outside disk 40, thereby causing disk 40 to return firmly to its seat, sealing the pressurized recording medium within sac 20. The filling tube 60 may then be slightly withdrawn from contact with seat 61, and bulb 155 completely released, thereby withdrawing all of the excess fluid from the passage above disk 40 and from the space within stiffener 67. Filling tube 60 may then be fully withdrawn, and any remaining small amounts of recording medium within the passage above disk 40 and within the spacer 67 will be maintained within charging valve assembly 12 by the reentrant skirt member 66, whereat this small remaining amount of recording medium will dry out or evaporate.

It is a particular feature of the cartridge of the invention that any air which has become entrapped in sac 20 during charging may be eliminated by the simple expedient of inverting the barrel assembly, or the entire stylus or pen including the barrel assembly, and depressing the actuators of the individual cartridges (corresponding to actuator 81 of FIG. 1), either directly or by means of the individual dispensing controls described hereinafter, until a small amount of recording medium of the colors corresponding to each of the cartridges is seen to be immitted from nipple 141.

FIG. 11 shows a simple vacuum pump of the kind which may be used as the vacuum source for the extractor system of a stylus embodying the present invention. This vacuum pump, generally designated by the reference numeral 160, is of simple construction such as will occur to those having ordinary skill in the art without the exercise of invention, and will be described only briefly.

The principal parts of pump 160 are the cap 161, the wall 162, and the base 163. A generally cylindrical boss 164 is affixed to the inside of cap 161 as generally shown in FIG. 11. A rolling diaphragm is affixed to boss 164 and wall 162 by means of leakproof joints 166 and 167 of ring-shaped configuration. Wall 162 is affixed to base 163 by leakproof joint means 168 of generally circular configuration. Access pipes 169 and 170 are affixed in suitable holes in the top of base 163 by leakproof sealing means. Thus, it may be seen that wall 162, the top of base 163, rolling diaphragm 165, and the bottom of boss 164, along with the leakproof joints between these several parts, cooperate to form an expansible chamber 171 to which access may be had only by means of access pipes 169 and 170. A coil spring 172 having approximately the diameter of wall 162 is affixed to the top of wall 162 by means not shown, and also is affixed to cap 161 by means not shown. Thus, coil spring 172 normally biases cap 161 into its uppermost position as shown in FIG. 11. Cap 161 is also provided with one or more vacuum relief holes 173. Short lengths of suitable semirigid walled hose 174 and 175 extend from access pipes 169 and 170, respectively, to their associated check valves 176 and 177. The permitted direction of flow of check valves 176 and 177 is as indicated by the arrows thereon. A hose line 178 extends from the side of check valve 177 remote from access pipe 170 to a sump adapted to contain recording medium extracted from common chamber 121, or from the volume or surface upon which a glyph or other record is being made. Such a sump may be a simple glass container, or hose 178 may extend directly to a sink drain. A second hose line 179 is provided which extends from the side of check valve 176 remote from access pipe 169 to a demountable, leakproof coupling 180. Coupling 180 is adapted to coact with nipple 141 at the upper end of barrel assembly 104, and to that end, hose line 179 is made as light as possible consistent with the requirement that it not be collapsed by interior vacuum. Hose line 179 may be of transparent plastic material to render easy the checking of the operation of the extractor system, and the checking of the expulsion of air from the cartridges at the time of charging, as described hereinabove.

While nipple 141 is shown as threaded in FIG. 6, and coupling 180 is described as cooperating therewith, it is to be understood that nipple 141 may alternatively be adapted for coaction with a well-known quick release coupling, and such a coupling may be substituted for the threaded coupling 180 of FIG. 11. Thus, the stylus of the invention may be operated in two modes, viz, l with hose line 179 continuously connected to the upper end of barrel assembly 104, or (2) with hose line 179 connected to the upper end of barrel assembly 104 only when it is desired to withdraw a glyph trace, or perform a like operation.

As will now be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art, withdrawing or extraction of a glyph trace may be performed, when coupling 180 is affixed to nipple 141, by depressing cap 161 of pump 160 (by foot or by hand) against the action of coil spring 172. By so doing the volume of chamber 171 is greatly reduced, and the fluid therein forced out through pipe 170, hose 175, check valve 177, and hose line 178 to the associated sump. When cap 161 is released, the upward bias exerted by spring 172 tends to increase the volume of chamber 171, thus drawing a vacuum therewithin. This vacuum cannot be relieved via check valve 177 because it opposes the permitted operation of check valve 177. Therefore, the lowered pressure within chamber 171 will act through pipe 169 and hose 174, opening check valve 176 and evacuating common chamber 121 (FIG. 6) via extractor bore 115, gasket passage 146, bore 142, and hose line 179. Thus, it will be evident that immediately after depression of cap 161, and its release, the contents of common chamber 121 will be withdrawn to chamber 171 of pump 160. It will also be evident that recording medium already deposited via tip feed tube 138 may be withdrawn to chamber 171 in the same manner. Thus, if the tip attached to nib support 130 is that of a glyph-depositing stylus, the extractor system of the present invention as shown in FIGS. 6 and 11 may be employed to withdraw a complete glyph trace, or selected parts thereof. In addition, if

a nib pen tip is secured to tip support 130 (FIG. 6), the color of ink employed may be expeditiously changed by withdrawing the ink of a first color from chamber 121, and from the nib via tip feed tube 138, by operation of pump 160 (FIG. 11), and then depressing the actuator of the cartridge containing ink of desired new color (usually via intermediate feed control means). It will also be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art that the extractor system of FIGS. 6 and 11 may be advantageously employed when a tip of the stylographic type is affixed to tip support 130 (FIG. 6).

The recording medium withdrawn to chamber 171 will, of course, be passed to the above-described sump upon the next depression of cap 161, at which time vacuum will again be drawn in chamber 171, and additional recording medium may be extracted via extractor bore 1 1S, hose 179, etc.

As may be understood from the above, a complete stylus system according to the present invention may comprise, by way of example, a barrel assembly according to FIG. 6, including one or more cartridges according to FIG. 1, a pump and hose lines according to FIG. 11, and a tip such as those described hereinafter. I

"A cartridge, barrel assembly, filling syringe, and pump according to the invention having been described in detail hereinabove, the following descriptions of tips embodying the invention will show and describe only so much of these earlier described parts as is necessary, it being'understood that these earlier described constructions are particularly adapted for use with the nibs described hereinafter, and implied for use in connection therewith when not specifically shown or described.

Reference is now had to FIGS. 12 through 15 which disclose a preferred embodiment of pen tip according to the present invention adapted for use with the barrel assembly of FIG. 6 and the other stylus system components shown and described hereinabove.

As may be seen in FIG. 12, the tip assembly generally designated by the reference numeral 200 is constructed and arranged to be screwed onto tip support 130 of a barrel assembly of the kind shown in FIG. 6.

Tip assembly 200 generally comprises a coupling section 201 adapted for attachment to barrel assembly 104, a control section 202 and a nib section 203.

Coupling section 201 includes an internally threaded sleeve 205 whereby coupling section 201 may be mounted on tip support 130 and, by means of a suitable lock washer 206 may be made relatively nonrotatable with respect to barrel assembly 104. Couplings section 201 also comprises three bores 207, (only one shown) which are of the same diameter as the bores 131, 132, 133 of FIG. 9, and are in register therewith when coupling section 201 is locked onto tip support 130 by means of threaded collar 205 and lock washer 206. Each of the resulting channels, e.g., the channel comprising bores 132 and 207, contains a plurality of balls, such as 208, 209, 210, by means of which operating force may be transmitted to the actuator (81, FIG. 1) of the corresponding cartridge.

Coupling section 201 also includes a short bore 215 into which a short stub of the tip feed tube 138 of barrel assembly 104 projects, and a gasket 216 for providing a tight seal to the lower end of tip feed tube 138. Gasket 216 bears sealingly against the upper end of extension pipe 217. Extension pipe 217 is molded into the body of coupling section 201, and maintained against rotation with respect thereto by a plurality of lugs 218, 219. The lower end of extension pipe 217 is provided with a circular flange 220 the function of which will be described hereinafter. The lower face of the main body of coupling section 201 is provided with three recesses 22]! (only one shown) which are equiangularly spaced about the axis of the stylus and which coact with a ball detent mechanism in control section 202 in a manner hereinafter to be described.

The body of control section 202 generally comprises two parts, viz, disklike section 230 and generally cylindrical section 231.

In assembling tip 200, section 230 is assembled onto extension pipe 217 (without flange 220), and flange 220 is then screwed onto the end of extension pipe 217 by means of the threads shown in FIG. 12. Thereafter, flange 220 is permanently affixed to extension pipe 217 by staking or jamming said threads, or in other well-known manners. The relative dimensions of extension pipe 217, flange 220, and disklike member 230 are such that disklike member 230 is able to be rotated about extension pipe 217. That is to say, member 230, when assembled, is rotatable about the axis of tip assembly 200 in such manner that coupling section 201 may be held in the hand and member 230 turned with respect to coupling section 201. During such rotation these parts are retained in close contact with each other over interface 232. As will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art, detenting ball 233 and its resilient biasing member 234 are deposited in their socket in the upper surface of member 230 before member 230 is assembled onto extension pipe 217. Thus, member 230 may be locked into any one of three angular positions about the axis of tip assembly 200 by turning it until detenting ball 233 drops into a corresponding one of sockets 221.

As shown in FIG. 12, passage 235 through disklike member 230 of control section 202 is aligned with bore 207 of coupling section 201 and bore 132 of tip support when detenting ball 233 is in one of the three sockets 221. As explained hereinabove, there are three bores 207 passing through the body member 205 of coupling section 201, and each of these bores 207 is aligned with a corresponding bore (i.e., 131, 132, 133, respectively) when coupling section 201 is locked in place on tip support 130. These three bores or passages 207 are equiangularly spaced about the axis of symmetry of coupling section 201, and are so related to the three sockets 221 that passage 235 of disklike member 230 can be aligned with any one of the three bores 207 and locked in alignment therewith by means of the ball detent arrangement 221, 233, 234 by manually turning disklike member 230 with respect to coupling section 201, and with respect to the entire barrel assembly 104. By this means one of the three cartridges contained in barrel assembly 104 may be selected for the dispensing of recording medium to nib 203, in the manner hereinafter to be described.

As may be seen in FIG. 12, parts 230 and 231 of control section 202 abut along a plane 240. These two parts are joined together, as by cementing, along plane 240 after control section 202 and certain other parts described hereinafter are assembled.

Referring now in detail to control section 202, it may be seen in FIG. 12 that this section comprises, in addition to body parts 230 and 231, a cylindrical plunger 241 adapted to be slidably disposed in a cylindrical passage 242 which will be aligned with passage 235 in part 230 when parts 230 and 231 are cemented together, a nib feed tube 245, and a rotatable and slidable control shaft 250 having a control head 251 at one of its ends and a ring 252 at its other end by which the shaft and head may be manipulated by the user of the pen, and the color and quantity of ink fed to nib 203 by way of nib feed tube 245 thereby controlled.

Nib feed tube 245 is provided with a circular flange 246 at its upper end, and a circular gasket 247 is provided between flange 246 and the above-described flange 220, whereby nib feed tube 245 may be turned about its axis with respect to extension pipe 217 without leakage of recording medium. Nib feed tube 245 is affixed to part 231, and prevented from rotation with respect thereto, by one or more rivets 253 passing through its flange 246, or other means which will occur to those having ordinary skill in the art. As shown in FIG. 12, nib feed tube 245 is bent rearwardly at the place designated by reference numeral 254, thus clearing control shaft 250. At the place generally shown by the reference numeral 254, tube 245 is bent downwardly, again becoming parallel to its upper portion near flange 246, and bearing upon the back portion of shoulder 255. According to a preferred embodiment, shoulder 255 is provided with a slight relief (not shown) which receives this ofiset portion of tube 245 and engages it firmly in order to steady the open bottom end portion of tube 245. In addition, tube 245 passes between a pair of ears 256 and 257 raised on the inner surface of shoulder 255, and is secured between these ears in an appropriately designed slot by means of a wire, band, or the like 258 the ends of which are secured to ears 256 and 257, for instance, by the resilience of band 258. Thus, nib feed tube 245 is rigidly mounted in, and irrotatable with respect to, part 231, and is of such configuration that its open lower end 260 (FIG. 14) is maintained parallel to the backs of the leaves of nib assembly 203, and at such a distance therefrom that the recording medium which it feeds to the nib assembly is normally maintained in position between its lower end and the backs of the leaves by capillary attraction and surface adhesion, in the well-known manner.

As may be seen by comparison of FIGS. 12 and 13, control shaft 250 is slidably and rotatably mounted in a close fitting passage 285 in the wall of part 231. Thus, the user of the pen may turn control shaft 250 about its own axis, pull it outward of part 231, or both in order to control the color and quantity of recording medium dispensed to nib 203 as described hereinafter. A coil spring 266 is provided which, being entrapped between a flange 267 at one end of control head 251 and the inner surface of the wall of shoulder 255, tends to maintain control shaft 250 in its inward position such that control ring 252 bears against the outer surface of part 231. Coil spring 266, however, is not attached to flange 267, and thus control shaft 250 is free to rotate independently of coil spring 266.

Control head 251 is provided with two integral ears 270 and 271, and with a pin 272 (FIG. 13), the purpose of all of which will be explained below. In addition, a well 274 is provided in the inner surface of shoulder 255 (FIGS. 12 and and serrations 275 are provided along a portion at least of the wall of well 274. Serrations 275 are adapted to coact with pin 272, as urged by spring 266, in order to maintain head 251 at any desired angle with respect to its own axis of rotation.

Referring now to FIG. 12, taken in conjunction with FIG. 6, the manner in which the quantity of recording medium dispensed to nib 203 via nib feed tube 245 will be made apparent. That is to say, balls 208, 209, 210, and others not shown, are of the correct diameter and number to take up the space between the actuator of the cartridge from which recording medium is to be dispensed (see 135, FIG. 6) and the top surface of plunger 241. Thus, it may be seen that upward urging of plunger 241 as shown in FIG. 12 controls the dispensing of recording medium from said cartridge.

As may also be seen in FIG. 12, plunger 241 is adapted to be thrust upward by finger 270 of control head 251. In fact, the orientation of control shaft 250 as seen in FIG. 12 is such that finger 270 is thrusting plunger 241 into its uppermost position, i.e., the position in which recording medium is dispensed from the associated cartridge at its maximum rate. In addition, control shaft 250 is in its leftmost position and therefore it may be seen that locking pin 272 (FIG. 13) is in engagement with one of the serrations 275 (FIG. 15), as urged by spring 266, and therefore plunger 241 is locked in its uppermost position and recording medium is being dispensed from the cartridge assembly associated with bore 132 of tip support 130 at its maximum rate, as shown in FIG. 12. It is also to be noted that pin 272 is sufficiently short so that, by pulling slightly outward on ring 252, finger 270 may be turned into engagement with plunger 241 while at the same time pin 272 does not engage serrations 275. Thus, it will be apparent that plunger 241 may either be briefly raised by rotating ring 252 about the axis of control shaft 250 or may be locked in a deflected position by rotating ring 252 about the axis of control shaft 250 and then thrusting ring 252 toward the body of control section 202, thereby engaging pin 272 with an appropriate one of serrations 275. That is to say, the amount of recording medium dispensed from a particular cartridge may be controlled by means of ring 252, either intermittently or continuously.

Also, as may clearly be seen in FIG. 12, there is but one plunger 241, in one bore 242. However, by rotating control section 202 with respect to the remainder of the stylus, as described hereinabove, and locking control section 202 in one of the three angular positions defined by the ball detent mechanism 221, 233, 234, plunger 241 may be aligned with any one of three bores 131, 132, 133 (each of these bores containing a plurality of force transmitting balls 208, 209, 210) and therefore ring 252 may be used to control the dispensing of ink from any one of the three cartridges in a stylus of the embodiment of FIGS. 12 through 15. As will be apparent by reference to FIG. 12, it is a particular feature of this embodiment that the cartridge selection cannot be changed during dispensing of ink from one cartridge. That is to say, plunger 241 is above the face of control section 202 abutting coupling section 201 at all times during the dispensing of ink from a particular cartridge, and therefore plunger 241 will lock in the corresponding bore of coupling section 201, e.g., bore 207. This being the case, it will be clear that ring 252 must so turn that finger 270 is withdrawn from the bottom of plunger 241, i.e., no ink is being dispensed, before control section 202 can be substantially turned with respect to coupling section 201. If, however, plunger 241 is withdrawn slightly below abutting surface 221, control section 202 may yet be turned with respect to coupling section 201 because, due to the spherical shape of ball 210, the turning of control section 202 far enough to throw any pair of bores 235 and 207 out of alignment will merely raise the balls slightly, and the size of the balls is so selected that in that situation pressure will not be exerted on the actuator of the corresponding cartridge.

Referring now to nib section 203, as shown in FIGS. 12, 13, and 14, it may be seen that this section generally comprises a main leaf 280, a pair of secondary leaves 281 and 282, a T shaped spreader 283, and a pair of leaf springs 284 and 285. Main leaf 280 is secured to a pair of lugs 286 and 287 by means of rivets, or the like, generally designated by the respective reference numerals 288 and 289. Lugs 286 and 287 may, according to a preferred embodiment, be integral with part 231 and disposed within and at substantially opposite sides of the lower end thereof. The secondary leaves 281 and 282 are pivotably mounted on the outer ends of rivets 288 and 289, respectively. Thus, leaves 281 and 282 are capable of assuming the narrow line position shown in FIG. 12 or the wide line position shown in FIG. 13. However, leaves 281 and 282 are resiliently biased toward their mutually contacting narrow line position (FIG. 12) by leaf springs 284 and 285, the upper ends of leaf springs 284 and 285 being received in suitable slots in the lower side of shoulder 255, and the lower ends of leaves 284 and 285 being received in slots in the upper ends of leaves 281 and 282. Main leaf 280 is provided with at least one nib slit of the well-known kind, and in addition may be provided with suitable feed holes or feed channels, as may secondary leaves 281 and 282, all such being provided by one having ordinary skill in the art without the exercise of invention.

Spreader 283 is pivoted to the back face of main leaf 280 by pivot means 295, and is so arranged that when secondary nibs 281 and 282 are in their narrow line position as shown in FIG. 12 one end of the T-head 296 contacts the inner surface of secondary leaf 282 while the other end of T-head 296 is disposed in a recess 296 in secondary leaf 281.

As may be seen by comparison of FIGS. 12 and 13, secondary leaves 281 and 282 may be spread to assume the wide line position of FIG. 13 by manipulating ring 252. In order to accomplish the spreading of the secondary leaves to the wide line position, ring 252 must first be turned about the axis of control shaft 250 through approximately thus entrapping the top of spreader 283 between fingers 270 and 271 of control head 251. As explained above, ring 252 must first be pulled outward slightly from control section 202 in order to free pin 272 from serrations 275. When ring 252 has been turned and spreader 283 is entrapped between fingers 270 and 271, then ring 252 may be pulled outward from control section 202, compressing spring 266, until, as shown in FIG. 13,

the long arm of spreader 283 bears against stop pin 298, which is affixed to the upper end of main leaf 280. Ring 252 may then be rotated approximately 180 about the axis of control shaft 250, and control shaft 250 allowed to return within control section 202 in response to the urging of spring 266, whereafter nib section 203 will remain in its wide line state as shown in FIG. 13 but at the same time ring 252 may be used to control the dispensing of recording medium from one of the cartridges at a time, as described hereinabove. Additional slight recesses analogous to recess 297 may be provided on the inside surface of secondary leaves 281 and 282 to lock spreader 283 in its wide line position (FIG. 13), though this will not be necessary when spreader 283 and leaves 281 and 282 are properly designed.

As shown in FIG. 13, the outer surface of control section 202 may be provided with a single index mark 300, while the outer surface of coupling section 201 may be provided with three equiangularly spaced index marks 301, each having a letter 302 adjacent it indicating the color of ink in the cartridge which is disposed to be controlled by means of ring 252 when its associated index mark 301 is set opposite index mark 300. The alignment of index mark 300 with any one index mark 301 will, of course, correspond to a locked state of ball detent mechanism 221, 233, 234.

The stylus or pen of FIG. 12 through 15 may be provided with a flexible hose connection to a vacuum pump of the kind shown in FIG. 11, so that the ink of a first color may be substantially completely withdrawn from nib feed tube 245, extension pipe 217, tip feed tube 138, common chamber 121, etc., all as shown and described hereinabove.

Reference is now had to FIGS. 16 and 17 of the drawings which disclose a multicolor stylographic pen embodying my invention. In general, the stylographic pen of this embodiment comprises a barrel assembly 104 of the kind shown in FIGS. 6 through 9 (shown in part only) and a tip assembly 310. In this embodiment tip feed tube 138 (see FIG. 6) is used directly as the writing tube, such writing tubes being well known in the stylographic pen art. The body 311 of tip assembly 310 is provided with a bore or passage 312 which is of such diameter as to surround tip feed tube 138 in close-fitting relationship when barrel assembly 104 is interfitted with tip assembly 310 and tip support 130 is screwed into the internally threaded collar at the upper end of body 311. A lock washer 313 is interposed between the upper end of said internally threaded collar and the corresponding shoulder defined by the lower end of body 120, said lock washer being of a selected thickness such that when tip assembly 310 is tightened onto barrel assembly 104, tightly clamping lock washer 313 therebetween, then bores 131, 132, 133 in tip support 130 are aligned with three corresponding passages 315 in body 311, the function of which will hereinafter be described.

Each of the bores 131, 132, 134 in tip support 130 is provided with a longitudinally slidable member 320. Each one of the three longitudinally slidable members 320, hereinafter called spools," is an integral assembly including a central rod or shaft which extends from the outer end of its bore, e.g., 132, and is just long enough to touch actuator, e.g., 135, without thereby causing the dispensing of recording medium from the associated cartridge when its outer end is flush with the outer end of its bore. This shaft is equipped with two or more disks or flanges which are of such diameter that the shaft is maintained substantially concentric with its associated bore while at the same time being free to slide therealong. As will now be apparent, one spool 320 is inserted in each bore 131, 132, 133 and maintained there by inverting barrel assembly 104 while tip assembly 310 is being affixed thereon.

Comparing FIGS. 16 and 17, it may now be seen that tip assembly 310 includes three actuator assemblies 321 each having a pushbutton dispensing control 325 and a hollow ring 322 which is rotatable about body 311 in order to expose only one pushbutton dispensing control 325 at a time for actuation, hollow ring 322 being, according to one preferred embodiment, resilient and slightly smaller in diameter than the corresponding portion of body 311 so that it tends to grip body 311 and remain emplaced in the position in which it is manually set.

Though one actuator assembly 321 is hereinafter discussed, it will be understood that the other two actuator assemblies 321 are substantially identical therewith. Further, it is to be noted that the practice of designating substantially duplicate assemblies and parts by the same reference numeral, where this will conduce to clarity is adopted here as elsewhere hereinabove.

Considering the single actuator assembly 321 shown in section in FIG. 16, it may be seen that this assembly generally comprises control 325 which terminates at its inner end in a rigid plate 326, a sac 327 which may, for instance, comprise one end of a short section of flexible walled tubing, a suitable cavity in body 311 for containing sac 327, etc., a sealed, rolling cuff arrangement generally designated by the reference numeral 328 at the upper end of sac 327, a finger 329 sealed into said rolling cuff arrangement and adapted to extend through bore 315 and contact spool 320 for actuating the same, and a proper relief hole 330 near the upper end of said cavity. A vent passage 333 extends throughout the length of control 325 and through the wall of sac 327. Sac 327 is of such construction, and rendered sufficiently resilient, as by vulcanizing or like process, so that it normally forces plate 326 toward the outer side of its associated cavity, a suitable relief bore 334 being provided to facilitate this action. Also, the construction of sac 327 and its association with finger 329 is such that finger 329 normally lies very slightly within the top end of bore 315. Finger 329 is sealed to sac 327 only at its lower end, as indicated by the reference numeral 335. Thus, when the air pressure within sac 327 (normally ambient because of passage 333) increases, rolling sleeve assembly 328 unrolls in the well-known manner, thrusting finger 329 upward and thus raising spool 320 and bringing about the dispensing of recording medium from the associated cartridge. This increase of pressure within sac 327 is brought about by the user of the pen, who presses inward on control 325, at the same time closing bore 333. Since the construction of sac 327 is such that it is normally maintained open, as explained hereinabove, the closing of passage 333 by the users finger causes the entrapment of air within sac 327, and the depression of control 325 thus raises the pressure of air within sac 327, unrolling sleeve 328 and raising finger 329 as described hereinabove, and thus raising spool 320 and bringing about the dispensing of recording medium from the associated cartridge. As will occur to those having ordinary skill in the art, a spring or other resilient means may be sealed within the lower portion of sac 327 to more strongly bias sac 327 into its open state, and thus bring about a greater sealing pressure against the finger depressing control 325, if needed.

While the device of FIG. 16 and 17 provides for the dispensing of recording medium by fingertip control, it will now be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art that means may be provided whereby an outer, slidable, resiliently biased section of tube 138 may be arranged to control the dispensing of recording medium from a selected one of the three cartridges in response to writing pressure.

Reference is now had to FIGS. 18 through 20 which disclose a multicolor, variable trace diameter glyph stylus adapted for use with the barrel assembly 104 of FIG. 6 and the extracting pump of FIG. 11, and particularly suited for use in connection with the manually operated glyph apparatus disclosed in my prior patents and applications.

As best seen in FIG. 18, this glyph stylus generally comprises a control section 340, an extension or stylus pipe 341, and a tip 342, all described in detail hereinafter.

Control section 340 is in general analogous in construction and arrangement to tip assembly 310 of the stylographic pen of FIGS. 16 and 17, departing therefrom most particularly in that its main body 345 (analogous to body 311 of FIG. 16) terminates in a flat end 346 provided with a threaded central bore 347 in which a threaded end 347 of stylus pipe 341 is secured.

Otherwise, the operative parts of control section 340 may be substantially identical with those of tip assembly 310 of FIG. 16. In particular, control section 340 is equipped with a selection ring 348 and three pushbutton dispensing controls 349 (one shown), analogous to previously described ring 322 and pushbutton dispensing controls 325, respectively. The three pushbutton dispensing controls 349 are associated with three actuator assemblies substantially like actuator assemblies 321 of FIG. 16, and these actuator assemblies coact with corresponding cartridges in a barrel assembly 104, in the manner completely disclosed and described hereinabove.

As will now be clear to those having ordinary skill in the art, the barrel assembly 104 (see FIG. 6) connected with and coacting with control section 340 of the device of FIGS. 18 through 20 may be provided with an extractor pump, or suction pump, of the kind shown in FIG. 11, thus making it possible to extract glyph traces by way of glyph pipe 341 and tip assembly 342.

Referring now to FIG. 18, it may be seen that tip feed tube 138 is not of sufficient diameter to bear the cantilever strains involved in displacing the' stylus extension through a glyphsupporting mass such as described in my prior application. Therefore, stylus pipe 341 is provided, which is of considerably greater diameter and rigidity than tip feed tube 138. Tip feed tube 138 projects into a bore 350 at the upper end of stylus pipe 341, which bore contains a gasket 351 for effecting a seal between tube 138 and pipe 341. The bore of tube 138 and the aperture of washer 351 communicate directly with the inner bore 352 of stylus pipe 341. Though bore 352 may be somewhat larger than the bore of tube 138, considerations of stylus pipe rigidity will, in general, dictate that the cross-sectional area of these two bores does not vary greatly.

Stylus pipe 341 is preferably equipped with graduations 353 of the kind and for the purpose shown and described in my prior applications. In addition, stylus pipe 341 is provided with a sliding collar 354 including a guide pin 355 adapted to slide in a groove 356 in one side of the stylus pipe. Collar 354 is provided with suitable tapped holes such as 357 and 358 whereby the glyph stylus may be coupled to a quantitative positioning apparatus, including protractors and graduated slides of the kind shown and described in my prior applications.

Going now to FIG. 19, which shows tip assembly 342 in detail, it may be seen that the lower end of stylus pipe 341 is provided with external threads 360. In addition, the lower end of stylus pipe 341 is provided with a stepped tip 361, 362.

Threads 360 are interengaged with the internal threads 365 ofa tip body 366.

As may be seen by comparison of FIGS. 19 and 20, a hollow tip shell 367 is secured to the end of tip body 366, as by rivets 368 and 369. A plurality of inwardly projecting lugs 370 are located near the upper end of tip shell 367.

A plurality of substantially identical, resilient leaves 375 are in part contained within tip shell 367, and in part project through an opening 376 in the lower end thereof.

Each leaf 375 has at its top end an ear 377 which is overturned to form a generally cylindrical member having a passage therethrough. A common wire ring 378 passes through the passages of all of the ears 377, thereby hinging all of the leaves 375 to a common, circular pivot. The pivoted upper ends of leaves 375 and hinge pin wire 378 are maintained in position by means of said lugs 370. Thus, leaves 375 are hinged at their upper ends with their lower ends projecting through opening 376 in tip shell 367. Just inside opening 376 the set of leaves 375 is surrounded with a closed coil spring band 380, the coil spring band 380 being maintained in this position by a coacting plurality of V-shaped guides 381.

Having described the mechanism of tip assembly 342 in detail, the mode of its operation may now be understood. That is to say, the generally circular orifice defined by the coacting lower ends of leaves 375 may be adjusted over a wide range of diameters, in a manner analogous to that of a camera iris, by twisting tip body 366 with respect to stylus pipe 341. Thus, it

will be clear from FIG. 19 that the more completely threads 360 of stylus pipe 341 engage threads 365 of tip body 366, the further tip member 362 will be thrust into the coacting set of leaves 375. It will also be clear, however, that thrusting tip member 362 into the assembly of leaves 375 will increase the diameter of the aperture defined by the bottom ends of leaves 375. Thus, the diameter of the tip end of tip assembly 342 may be varied at the will of the operator by twisting tip body 366 about the axis of stylus pipe 341, and thus altering the degree of engagement of the end of stylus pipe 341 with tip body 366.

It will be evident from the above that the particular embodiment FIGS. 18 through 20 is a highly advantageous apparatus for efficiently achieving the purposes of the glyph forming apparatuses of my prior applications. In particular, this embodiment makes it possible to insert glyph traces of selected colors, remove the width of such glyph traces, and extract the same all with the same simple, cheap, convenient apparatus, thus rendering the three-dimensional volumetric drawing, data representation, and recording systems of my previous applications extremely useful and efficient.

Reference is now had to FIG. 21 which shows the lower end of a barrel assembly 104, such as that shown in FIG. 6, equipped with compact and economical electrical signal responsive control means for controlling the dispensing of recording medium. It is to be understood that, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the barrel assembly 104 of the embodiment of FIG. 21 will be identical to that of FIG. 6, except as indicated by comparison of FIG. 21 and FIG. 6. It is to be further understood that, while only one electrical control assembly 400 is shown in FIG. 21, a barrel assembly 104 of the embodiment of FIG. 21 will include three control assemblies 400, each located in one of the bores 131, 132, 133 (FIG. 9) and each coacting with an actuator 134, 135, 136 (FIG. 9).

Electrical control assembly 400 generally comprises a piezoelectric crystal 401, a fulcrum bar 402 affixed to the top of piezoelectric crystal 401, a second fulcrum bar 403 rigidly mounted to the tip support by means of cantilever 404, a lever 405 arranged to rockable about the apex of fulcrum bar 402 and about the apex of fulcrum bar 403, and a strut 406 pivoted at its lower end to lever 405 and retained within a small depression or socket in actuator at its upper end.

Piezoelectric crystal 401 is mounted in bore 132 in sliding fit relationship, and is affixed to the walls of bore 132 only near the bottom surface of tip support 130. Also, piezoelectric crystal 401 is so cut, and so provided with, e.g., plated on electrodes, all as well known to those having ordinary skill in the art, that in response to signals on leads 408 and 409 it expands in its vertical dimension as shown in FIG. 21. When, in response to applied electrical signals, piezoelectric crystal 401 expands it forces fulcrum bar 402 upward as shown in FIG. 21. However, since fulcrum bar 403 is fixed in position, the motion of the apex of fulcrum bar 402 is multiplied by the action of lever 405, and the resulting motion transmitted to actuator 135 is greater in extent but less powerful than the upward thrust upon fulcrum bar 402 provided by crystal 401. Thus, control assembly 400 makes it possible to deflect actuator 135 proportionally to the amplitude of the signals supplied on lines 408 and 409, and thus to control the dispensing of recording medium from the cartridge associated with actuator 135.

Thus it may be seen that a barrel assembly 104 of the type contemplated in FIG. 21 may effectively be used in the servocontrolled glyph recorders of the type disclosed in my prior patent applications. As will now be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art, a barrel assembly 104 of the type shown in FIG. 21 may be employed in the device of FIG. 18 instead of manual control ring 348 and pushbutton 349, making it possible to initiate and terminate the depositing of glyph traces under the control of electrical signals.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained, and, since certain changes may be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above descriptions or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An implement for use in producing traces of recording media, comprising:

a plurality of reservoir means adapted to contain recording medium under pressure;

tip means adapted to deposit recording medium in the form of traces;

control means for controlling the dispensing of recording medium from said plurality of reservoir means to said tip means;

a common chamber into which said recording medium is dispensed from said plurality of reservoir means, and from which recording medium is dispensed to said tip means; and means for connecting said common chamber to a vacuum source whereby recording medium may be extracted from said common chamber.

2. An implement for use in producing traces of recording media, comprising:

reservoir means adapted to contain recording medium under pressure;

tip means adapted to deposit recording medium in the form of traces;

control means for controlling the dispensing of recording medium from said reservoir means to said tip means; and

conduit means connecting said reservoir means with said tip means;

said reservoir means including positive means to maintain pressure in excess of the atmospheric pressure within said reservoir means, and further including a plurality of separate recording medium containers, and

said control means including means to prevent and to permit a flow of said recording medium from said reservoir means to said tip means and to simultaneously control the pressure of flow of said medium,

said control means being adapted to control the dispensing of recording medium independently from one of said containers at a time to said tip means.

3. An implement as claimed in claim 2 including means for connecting said tip means to a vacuum source whereby recording medium may be withdrawn through said tip means.

4 An implement for use in producing traces of recording media, comprising:

reservoir means adapted to contain recording medium under pressure;

tip means adapted to deposit recording medium in the form of traces;

control means for controlling the dispensing of recording medium from said reservoir means to said tip means; and

conduit means connecting said reservoir means with said tip means; said reservoir means including positive means to maintain pressure in excess of the atmospheric pressure within said reservoir means and a plurality of recording medium supply chambers, each of said supply chambers including a dispensing valve under control of a separate control means, one of said separate control means at a time being so disposed as to be operable by one of the fingers of the user without disturbing the writing grip,

said control means including means to prevent and to permit a flow of said recording medium from said reservoir means to said tip means and to simultaneously control the pressure of flow of said medium and means which is operable by one of the fingers of the user of the implement and is so located on the body of the implement as to be directly accessible to said finger without disturbing the writing rip.

5. An imp ement for use in producing traces of recording media, comprising:

reservoir means adapted to contain recording medium under pressure;

tip means adapted to deposit recording medium in the form of traces;

control means for controlling the dispensing of recording medium from said reservoir means to said tip means; and

conduit means connecting said reservoir means with said tip means;

said reservoir means including positive means to maintain pressure in excess of the atmospheric pressure within said reservoir means and a plurality of separate recording medium supply chambers, each of said supply chambers having a dispensing valve, each of said dispensing valves being controlled by separate electrical control means,

said control means including means to prevent and to permit a flow of said recording medium from said reservoir means to said tip means and to simultaneously control the pressure of flow of said medium, and

said tip means including a glyph-dispensing tube, said glyphdispensing tube terminating in a plurality of flexible leaves which cooperate to define a truncated cone, resilient means biasing said leaves together to reduce the area of the open apex of said cone, and aperture control means adapted to spread said leaves and thereby increase the area of the open apex of said cone.

6. An implement for use in producing traces of recording media, comprising:

reservoir means adapted to contain recording medium under pressure;

tip means adapted to deposit recording medium in the form of traces;

control means for controlling the dispensing of recording medium from said reservoir means to said tip means;

conduit means connecting said reservoir means with said tip means; and

a common chamber into which said recording medium is dispensed from a plurality of reservoir means, and from which recording medium is dispensed to said tip means;

said reservoir means including positive means to maintain pressure in excess of the atmospheric pressure within said reservoir means; and

said control means including means to prevent and to permit a flow of said recording medium from said reservoir means to said tip means and to simultaneously control the pressure of flow of said medium. 

1. An implement for use in producing traces of recording media, comprising: a plurality of reservoir means adapted to contain recording medium under pressure; tip means adapted to deposit recording medium in the form of traces; control means for controlling the dispensing of recording medium from said plurality of reservoir means to said tip means; a common chamber into which said recording medium is dispensed from said plurality of reservoir means, and from which recording medium is dispensed to said tip means; and means for connecting said common chamber to a vacuum source whereby recording medium may be extracted from said common chamber.
 2. An implement for use in producing traces of recording media, comprising: reservoir means adapted to contain recording medium under pressure; tip means adapted to deposit recording medium in the form of traces; control means for controlling the dispensing of recording medium from said reservoir means to said tip means; and conduit means connecting said reservoir means with said tip means; said reservoir means including positive means to maintain pressure in excess of the atmospheric pressure within said reservoir means, and further including a plurality of separate recording medium containers, and said control means including means to prevent and to permit a flow of said recording medium from said reservoir means to said tip means and to simultaneously control the pressure of flow of said medium, said control means being adapted to control the dispensing of recording medium independently from one of said containers at a time to said tip means.
 3. An implement as claimed in claim 2 including means for connecting said tiP means to a vacuum source whereby recording medium may be withdrawn through said tip means.
 4. An implement for use in producing traces of recording media, comprising: reservoir means adapted to contain recording medium under pressure; tip means adapted to deposit recording medium in the form of traces; control means for controlling the dispensing of recording medium from said reservoir means to said tip means; and conduit means connecting said reservoir means with said tip means; said reservoir means including positive means to maintain pressure in excess of the atmospheric pressure within said reservoir means and a plurality of recording medium supply chambers, each of said supply chambers including a dispensing valve under control of a separate control means, one of said separate control means at a time being so disposed as to be operable by one of the fingers of the user without disturbing the writing grip, said control means including means to prevent and to permit a flow of said recording medium from said reservoir means to said tip means and to simultaneously control the pressure of flow of said medium and means which is operable by one of the fingers of the user of the implement and is so located on the body of the implement as to be directly accessible to said finger without disturbing the writing grip.
 5. An implement for use in producing traces of recording media, comprising: reservoir means adapted to contain recording medium under pressure; tip means adapted to deposit recording medium in the form of traces; control means for controlling the dispensing of recording medium from said reservoir means to said tip means; and conduit means connecting said reservoir means with said tip means; said reservoir means including positive means to maintain pressure in excess of the atmospheric pressure within said reservoir means and a plurality of separate recording medium supply chambers, each of said supply chambers having a dispensing valve, each of said dispensing valves being controlled by separate electrical control means, said control means including means to prevent and to permit a flow of said recording medium from said reservoir means to said tip means and to simultaneously control the pressure of flow of said medium, and said tip means including a glyph-dispensing tube, said glyph-dispensing tube terminating in a plurality of flexible leaves which cooperate to define a truncated cone, resilient means biasing said leaves together to reduce the area of the open apex of said cone, and aperture control means adapted to spread said leaves and thereby increase the area of the open apex of said cone.
 6. An implement for use in producing traces of recording media, comprising: reservoir means adapted to contain recording medium under pressure; tip means adapted to deposit recording medium in the form of traces; control means for controlling the dispensing of recording medium from said reservoir means to said tip means; conduit means connecting said reservoir means with said tip means; and a common chamber into which said recording medium is dispensed from a plurality of reservoir means, and from which recording medium is dispensed to said tip means; said reservoir means including positive means to maintain pressure in excess of the atmospheric pressure within said reservoir means; and said control means including means to prevent and to permit a flow of said recording medium from said reservoir means to said tip means and to simultaneously control the pressure of flow of said medium. 